Orthotown June 2021 - 20

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without complaint. Many patients do appreciate the Saturdays and do come since we live in
an area where commuting on weekdays can be quite diffi cult. My dad used to take me to the
orthodontist on Saturdays. It would've been impossible for him to take me on a weekday so I
understand the desire for Saturday appointments. But no appointments past 12 p.m., please! ■
12/13/2010
njtxortho
Member Since: 05/05/08
Post: 6 of 35
When I opened my doors fi ve-and-a-half years ago, offering Saturdays was a huge marketing
tool, and also gave me a competitive advantage, being a newbie and all.
Over time, however, we went from two Saturdays/month to one/month, to every eight weeks,
to every 10 weeks. In 2011, we have only four Saturdays available. In 2012, we will have none.
The problem is what you've all heard: It dilutes the appointment book and people no-show.
Also, people want to have start and deband appts on Saturdays, which we never did, and then
when they no-show on a Saturday, it was in the contract that they couldn't have another Saturday
appointment until they came in during the week. Well, once a year we would have to remind
a parent that it was in their contract, to which they replied: " I only come here because you are
open on Saturdays. " Gee, thanks.
To accommodate those people with long commutes or demanding schedules, we close at 6
p.m. so our last appointment time is 5 p.m. This makes most people happy.
Bottom line: In theory, working Saturdays is great for everybody. In reality, it's a burden on
drwo
Member Since: 03/03/05
Post: 7 of 35
the practice. From my experience, anyway! ■
I feel compelled to jump in on this thread since I am a senior in this business and decided
12/15/2010
many, many years ago that mothers want Saturday and school vacation appointments and the
patients detest them and fi nd as many reasons not to show up as they can.
The few times that I attempted Saturday appointments in my fi rst year out of school (1966),
I came to the conclusion that it is only a waste of your time and overhead (to pay salaries and
keep the lights on) and I made a policy that I would not work on Saturdays nor the week between
Christmas and New Year's-and I never have. I don't think it ever had a negative effect on the
practice.
In fact, the staff really enjoyed rotating through the offi ce during those last days of the month
to answer the phone and be available for emergencies (which were few and far between). The kids
just don't want to come to the offi ce when they have free time for themselves.
P.S.: The patients who only come to you because you work on Saturday usually turn out not
to be your best patients. Plus, if the truth be known, the kids probably hate it.
I work only three days/week in the offi ce now but I still take the last week of December off.
When I moved from New Mexico to Phoenix, I also decided to schedule my vacation around
school activities.
I take an annual vacation the last two weeks of May and the fi rst week of June each year
and have for the past 30 years because of the end of school activities (fi nals, prom, etc.) and
graduation. That is when most of the staff schedule their personal vacations and I run off to the
timeshare in Maui.
For what it is worth, I would advise anyone to put your personal " time out of the offi ce " on the
dhmjdds
Member Since: 11/16/04
Post: 8 of 35
schedule for the entire year in January and then schedule patients around your personal time. ■
Yes, I absolutely agree with everything Dr. Wo says! I worked Saturdays the fi rst few years.
12/15/2010
Horrible. Haven't done that for 20 years. I also fi nd that the longish school holidays are bad, too,
so for many years we have taken off between Christmas and New Year's, and especially spring
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